Antique Silver-Plated Trinket Dish with Swallows, Art Nouveau — France, Late 19th Century

The Art Nouveau period brought birds into the decorative object with a particular tenderness — not the heraldic eagle or the mythological phoenix, but the swallow, small and swift, the bird that returns each spring and has stood for renewal since antiquity. A small silvered dish decorated with swallows perched at its rim was made for the dressing table: a place to set down rings or earrings each evening, the birds keeping quiet watch until morning.

This dish is French, late nineteenth to early twentieth century, in silver-plated metal, its hallmarks visible on the underside of the foot. The body is a wavy-edged bowl, its rim undulating in a continuous soft scallop that catches the light differently at each curve — the organic, flowing line that Art Nouveau applied even to the simplest functional forms. Two swallows perch at opposite points on the rim, cast in the round with wings raised as if about to take flight, their small forked tails and pointed beaks rendered with genuine attention to the bird's particular silhouette. Note how the swallows are positioned facing outward in opposite directions rather than mirroring each other — the asymmetry that Art Nouveau designers favoured over strict symmetry, giving the piece a sense of movement even at rest.

The silver plating carries a handsome antique patina with light marks of honest use, as photographed — the kind of wear that confirms age rather than detracting from it. It sits well on a dressing table, a desk, or a shelf, equally suited to jewellery, salt, or a scattering of small treasures.

It arrives professionally packed and fully insured. All duties and import charges are our responsibility — you pay nothing beyond the listed price. Returns are accepted within 30 days.

DETAILS:
Size: Diameter 8 cm (3.1 in) · Height 7 cm (2.8 in)
Material: silver-plated metal, hallmarked on the foot
Style/Period: French Art Nouveau, late 19th to early 20th century
Weight: 126 g (4.4 oz)
Shipping: professionally packed, fully insured, worldwide — all import duties paid by us, nothing to settle on delivery
Condition: good antique condition; attractive patina with light honest wear, as photographed
Returns: accepted within 30 days

Read our condition standard. Please ask if you need additional photographs or measurements.

Worldwide delivery is included in the price. Every piece is individually packed, tracked and fully insured. No shipping charge is added at checkout. If your destination is not listed, please contact us before ordering.

Maison Jaspers pays US tariffs and import duties. For other destinations, local import taxes and duties may apply and are payable by the recipient. Contact us before ordering if you need destination-specific guidance.

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Notify us within 30 days of delivery if you wish to return a piece. No reason is required. You pay return shipping for a change-of-mind return.

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